There are people who never stop, forever driven by something. Reality seems small, too comfortable, and stability a crime. For them, to rest is to lose, and to stop is to surrender. Such was Ken Kesey.

Though best known for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” his true story began when he volunteered as a test subject for an LSD experiment at a veterans’ hospital. The experience inspired the creation of Chief Bromden in his novel.

Success brought fame and money, which Kesey used to create an extraordinary project akin to Monty Python’s antics. He bought a school bus and transformed it into a colorful psychedelic creation, equipped with audio and video recording devices, and a fridge filled with LSD-laced juice.

Kesey and his friends embarked on a journey across America, seeking to open the doors of perception. This remarkable experiment led to Tom Wolfe’s classic book “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” capturing Kesey’s spirit.

Wolfe artfully conveys Kesey’s unique language and the experiences of his group. It’s a tale of dreams and the compromises one faces in the clash with reality, as depicted in the chapter “Black FBI Shoes.”

The adventure resulted in hours of film footage, but Kesey never compiled it. To truly feel the bus’s vibe, read the book.

Feel the vibe through this sneak peek, but reading the book is the way to immerse yourself in the bus.

Images where created by discussing with GPT Kesey’s history and then forming that into this kind of template prompt:

Prompt: Ken Kesey, Author of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Description: Ken Kesey was an American author best known for his novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” The scene depicts Kesey in a thoughtful pose, sitting at his writing desk in a dimly lit study. He is surrounded by stacks of books and papers, showcasing his dedication to his craft. Kesey is wearing a plaid shirt and jeans, reflecting his free-spirited and unconventional nature. The room is adorned with posters of counterculture icons and artwork, creating an atmosphere of creativity and rebellion. The lighting in the scene is warm and intimate, casting soft shadows and emphasizing the details of Kesey’s face. The overall style of the image should be realistic, with attention to intricate details and textures.

Modifiers: Detailed, realistic, high resolution, cinematic film still, warm lighting, counterculture aesthetic. Negative Prompts: Blurry, distorted face, low quality. Additional Tags: (dimly lit study), (books:stacked), (counterculture posters), (plaid shirt), (rebellious atmosphere), (warm and intimate lighting), (creative inspiration), (texture details), (realistic portrait).

Comment:
As you can see, the shortest description is not always the best, although it is considered a rule of thumb. Asking GPT is helpful when you feel you lack the vocabulary needed to describe what you want to achieve.

Prompt details for image of the bus

Prompt:
Detailed, realistic, high resolution, cinematic film still, warm lighting, counterculture aesthetic, (Ken Kesey:1.8), the renowned author of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” embarked on a transformative journey in a vibrant yellow school bus known as “Further.” The scene captures the energy and spirit of Kesey’s adventures. The bus, covered in intricate fractal patterns, stands out against the backdrop of scenic landscapes. The bus is adorned with psychedelic colors, representing the counterculture movement of the time. Inside the bus, Kesey and his companions engage in mind-expanding experiments, pushing the boundaries of perception and consciousness. The air is filled with an atmosphere of excitement and exploration. Kesey is portrayed as a charismatic figure, leading the charge in this rebellious and mind-altering expedition.Dynamic action, vibrant colors, psychedelic aesthetics, fractal patterns, transformative journey, counterculture vibe.(fractal-painted bus), (mind-expanding experiments), (psychedelic colors), (adventurous spirit), (rebellious exploration), (transformative journey), (vibrant landscapes), (charismatic leader), (boundary-pushing), (counterculture movement).

Negative prompt: (deformed, distorted, disfigured:1.3), poorly drawn, bad anatomy, wrong anatomy, extra limb, missing limb, floating limbs, (mutated hands and fingers:1.4), disconnected limbs, mutation, mutated, ugly, disgusting, blurry, amputation, Blurry, distorted face, low quality

Steps: 45, Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras, CFG scale: 7, Seed: 496753995, Face restoration: CodeFormer, Size: 768×512, Model hash: 9aba26abdf, Model: deliberate_v2